Ligusticum, which has the scientific names Rhizoma et radix ligusticiand Ligusticum sinense oliv., is well-known as a medicinal herb in China and Korea, where it has been planted and cultivated for centuries.

It is also known as Chinese lovage, ligusticum waliichii, or chuan xiong. It is a perennial plant that is characterized by hermaphrodite flowers. Ligusticum usually thrives in temperate climates.

List of known nutrients

Beta-Sitosterol

Essential Oils

Ferulic Acid

Glycosides

Ligustilide

Phytosterols

Retinol

Saponins

Senkyunolide

Sucrose

Teramethylpyrazine

Terpenes

Vitamin A

Volatile Oils

Z-ligustilide

Medicinal uses for ligusticum

Ligusticum has anti-inflammatory properties. Redness or swelling of the skin or other body parts can be alleviated when ligusticum is applied to the affected area. It can also alleviate the pain brought about by sore muscles.

Ligusticum has analgesic properties, meaning it can lessen pain intensities. It can be used as a reliable replacement for some popular pharmaceutical painkillers.

Ligusticum has antibacterial properties. It can stop bacterial activity and has shown in vitro effects against pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (which brings chronic infections to patients with cystic fibrosis, a genetic diesase that causes persistent lung infections), Shigella sonnei, Salmonella typhi, and Vibrio cholera.

Ligusticum has antifungal properties. It causes cell wall breakage in fungi, therefore causing their destruction. Ligusticum can be used to treat severe fungal infections.

Ligusticum has sedative properties. It lessens anxiety in people, and induces sleep in them.

Ligusticum can help treat anemia. Clinical results show that in 158 cases for anemia, 111 cases or 70.25 percent gained positive benefits from ingesting ligusticum. Some tests also reveal that ligusticum is more effective or as effective as the drugs papaverine, dextran, and aspirin-persantin in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Ligusticum can also be used as treatment for headaches – any kind of headache, may it be due to blood deficiency or blood stasis, or due to hot or cold wind.

Ligusticum has venom-neutralizing capabilities. Its anti-venom properties can enable it to nullify the effects of highly poisonous substances, so it can serve as a treatment option for Hymenoptera or the posion that comes from ants, bees, and wasps; spider bites; and snake bites.

Body systems supported by ligusticum

Ligusticum is good for the female reproductive system. It is known for promoting blood flow, and so is a staple concoction prescribed for women who are undergoing irregular menstrual periods. Ligusticum is also known to alleviate the pain and discomfort that accompanies menstruation such as backache, premenstrual spotting, sciatica, and urinary and abdominal pain.

It can also be used to address abnormal menstruation issues, such as too little or too much discharge, unusual discharge color, or discharge filled with clots, which are symptoms of blood stasis. Blood stasis is usually caused by intra-abdominal surgery, abortions, intercourse during menstruation, intra-uterine devices, or birth control pills.

Because of its ties with menstrual problem allevation, ligusticum can also be said to address female infertility issues.

Ligusticum is good for the digestive system. It eases flatulence and addresses other gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, stomach upset, indigestion, and vomiting, among others.

Ligusticum is good for the immune system. It can be used to treat common ailments like fevers. This is due to its ability to normalize body temperatures and increase sweat production, thereby removing potentially harmful toxic substances through the pores of the skin.

Ligusticum is good for the respiratory system. It can be used to treat disorders such as coughs and tonsillitis.

Ways to use ligusticum

Ligusticum can be mixed with certain foods and beverages to add flavor to these treats. It also serves as additional fragrance to soaps and cosmetics. It can be available as a powder or as a pill.

Ligusticum, however, should be avoided by pregnant women or lactating mothers. This is because therb contains high levels of oxytocin, which can cause health issues for the unborn or the very young.

Also, excessive ligusticum intake can result in a plethora of negative side effects such as diarrhea, insomnia, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and loss of appetite.